Database Users

Sound distortion playing music with some headphones

I have found some strange behaviour that i'm hoping someone else can test out on their Galaxy S.
I have found that some headphones seem to work fine with the phone for music playing but others result in the sound being distorted with the vocals being very faint as if the left and right channel are cancelling each other out (with vocals generally being on left and right channel).
The packaged Samsung headphones appear to work properly although the quality seems average. I tried my iPhone headphones but these resulted in the strange sound distortion described above. I also tried a pair of cheap Sennheiser which were a free give away with a purchase from Richer Sounds and they worked well. Another pair of no-name cheap headphones exhibited the same distortion problems as the iPhone headphones.
Oddly, the FM radio sounded ok with all the headphones, it's just the music player that has the problem. I have also tried a couple of other music apps including the doubletwist player to rule out the software.
I'm considering taking it back to the shop to swap for a replacement. I'd be grateful if anyone could try out some headphones (particularly iPhone ones) on their Galaxy S and report their results to see if this is just a quirk with my phone or the Galaxy S in general.
Many Thanks

I just need some clarification because I know that a headset, and not headphones, is delivered with the Iphone. If it was a headset then I might suspect that different Iphones use different polarity as opposed to Samsung. Try out the Samsung headset on the Iphone.
EDIT:
Obviously not the problem. I must have skipped over the radio experience.
I can't post a link to it, but I remembered that GSMArena did a thorough review of the SGS. If you find your way to it, go to page 6 and see the sound chart at the bottom. SGS is superior in sound to iPhone. Perhaps the iPhone headset/headphones and the cheap ones are not sufficient for the SGS? I'm guessing

I had a similar experience when I tried to use the Samsung Spica headset on my HTC Hero. It seems that it might be a difference in polarity as suggested above.
Does all the headsets that give distorted sounds have a microphone on them? (E.g. not headphones)

the iPhone's headphones have extremely high distortion regardless of the media using to play them. The SGS is probably just overpowering them because they are very loud headphones as well/easily powered.

No it's nothing to do with them being overpowered.
I have an expensive pair of etymotic in ear headphones that are exhibiting the very same problem. Strangely I found a fix. They have a microphone on them and pressing in the answer button on them seems to fix the problem. I have taped the button down now and everything works perfectly. The second that button is released though, everything goes back to being faint, muffled and distorted.
Odd!
PS. This isn't just with the music player. I noticed it first watching a video.

It sounds like Samsung has their own way of producing the 3.5mm port with regards to the microphone support.
The Samsung headset distorts music on my HTC Hero.
The HTC headset distorts music on my gfs Galaxy Spica

To be clear, are you saying the problem only affects headsets with microphones? I have etymotic er4p headphones and it would be a deal breaker if they didn't work right with this phone.

If its only showing up in the media player, check that you havent enabled the 5.1 button in the the top right of the player. This can really screw with the sound and entire frequency ranges can be lost. I'm guessing this is whats happening.
The default headphones work fine for me if a little tinny, but with my Senheissers, the results are very pleasing. Apart from a slight gap between tracks that should seemlessly play through, I prefer using it to my iPod Touch. Being able to change tracks and volume without unlocking is a nice feature.
I threw my iPod headphones out years ago, they're the most ridiculous design ever, with the cable tapping the inside sleeve all the time when you walk or run.

k2snowboards88 said:
To be clear, are you saying the problem only affects headsets with microphones? I have etymotic er4p headphones and it would be a deal breaker if they didn't work right with this phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It sounds like that the problem is with headsets with microphones, yes. Not sure if it happens with all 3rd party headsets w/ mic though.
Considering you have etymotic, and ClownShoes a few posts up have problems with this brand, I guess you're out of luck unless you wanna tape the answering button like he did.

The er4p is just headphones, so it sounds like i'm in luck.

Got my GS a few days ago and im having exactly the same problem with the Etymotic hf2 Headset with mic. So yeah it looks like it the mic that causes the problems.

sim87 said:
Got my GS a few days ago and im having exactly the same problem with the Etymotic hf2 Headset with mic. So yeah it looks like it the mic that causes the problems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a little bit crude, but taping the button down does work.

I have the same issue with with Monster Studios even with the cable without the integrated mic. Would be great to have some sort of fix.

Headphone issues
Just thought I would post what I knew about the issue, both me and my dad purchased the same pair of headphones to use on mp3 players (the headphones are ultimate ears metro fi 220 vi's if I remember correctly, these have an in-line microphone as well as a single button for answering calls and to control music playback). Whilst I experienced no distortion when using them on my iPod Classic, my Dad's Creative player would produce the issues described above - he found that either taping the button down or slightly pulling the headphones out would solve the issue however it ended up annoying him so much that he went back to using another set of headphones.
I don't know what causes the issue but I just thought I would let people know

i have some sennsihaur sport headphones which work fine no problems. i also a monster fm transmitter in the car.. again no problesm.. just make sure the volume is not on max but 1 setting below max.

Hmmmm, a few problems here. Obviously the standard Samsung headphones are fine, no humming, no background noise. However if I connect the following:
1. Standard Apple iPhone (with mic) loads of background noise, humming etc
2. Shure (no mic) loads of background noise, humming etc
3. B&O (no mic) loads of background noise, humming etc
4. Shure (with mic adaptor) loads of background noise, humming etc greatly reduced by pressing the mute key.
Using the Shure adaptor with the others resulting in the same as 4.
Needless to say I'm not happy!

That's too bad. Not being able to use my Shure with the phone renders it useless for music and that IS important.

In the SERVICE MODE *#*#197328640#*#* there is an audio menu
there you can change the headset settings too like NR noise reducion.
i did not test and changed the settings but when i had the samsung omnia2 last year
i had some problems with my headset and fix it in in the sevice menu.
when you gonne do some tests write down the orginal settings before you try.
hope this will help some of you..... and post the results

im sure its the jack, cos the galaxy s has a 4pole trrs at left/right/mic/ground
iphone compatible headset have a 4pole trrs at left/right/ground/mic
thats why pressing the mic button clears up the sound as it closes the circuit
so it a matter of finding an adaptor that switches the mic and ground terminals
I have a tf10vi and im trying to diy one
will post the results

Just saw the post and thought I would check mine again, not that I noticed anything....anyway tried few songs and different types and all are sounding amazing, I use Sure 530 so music needs to be no lower than 256 to get the best out of the phones, most of my music tracks are 320bit.

[Q] Headphone/Speaker

Does anyone else have this issue where sometimes when you plug in headphones the sound still comes through the speaker? I have the headphones plugged all the way in. I usually have to restart the phone to get it to work properly.
[Edit]: When this happens the sound comes out from the speaker as well as through the headphones.

Mine is more of when I bump the headphone jack it either plays through the speaker or pauses the song. It seems very sensitive

My first Vibrant had a faulty headphone jack, that would short out with even the slightest touch. You guys might be in the same boat.
Overall, yes, I would agree that the headphone jack is 'cheap'. It seems as if it could be easily broken, and having one arrive DOA is not a great sign.
If you're still able to, I'd take your phones in for a swap. You're not going crazy.

Same issue here. It's especially an issue when you're sitting in your quite cube at work about to watch The Bed Intruder video on YouTube and it comes blaring out of the speaker when you thought is was going to come out of your headphones.
I think the third connection point for the video causes the problem since the device has 3 contacts instead of just left and right audio like most devices.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

Galaxy s7 Edge Major problem with headphone jack & Bluetooth

So i just got my phone on march4 and i found out 2 major problems on my s7 edge i did a research and seems to be im not the only one with this issue.
1- Bluetooth doesnt work with any wireless speaker i can connect the phone to the speaker but the music come from the phone speaker.
2- the headphone jack make static and horrible noise when you use a aux cable (for example i use my phone on my car with a aux cable and this static breaking noise is problem) now seems to be that the cord doesnt go all the way in into the headphone jack which is a huge concern to me.
3- when you are trying to listen music or audio trough the 2 option above the volume rocker only change the Ringtone volume not the Music/audio volume another big problem.
4- the stock music player is gone
A last i call samsung regardless the problem and they told me they will escalate the situation and they told to go to my carrier to order a replacement if i want to. so people remember you only have 15 days to return or get a replacement if you have the same problem.

All audio related - Sounds handset specific? Good luck on the replacement
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Has to be defective unit
Sent from my SM-N920W8 using Tapatalk

1- i am using it in my car as bt speaker listening to pandora no prob
2- using jack for speakers at work all night pandora no static (change ur aux maybe?)
3- perfectly working for me
4- i dont see it too lol i see google play music and milk music thats it

I can't believe that these issues could be in all S7! In my opinion, it sounds like it's a faulty handset

We ordered two S7's and we are having the same noise issues with headphones. It makes a horrible noise but only when we are in the house. If you go outside, the noise stops. We have tried various things like disconnecting the wifi and nothing works. The headphones worked fine with the S5

1 is an easy fix simply user error, swipe down on the top of the screen and you should be able to select an "Audio Path/Audio Output" and from there select your speakers or headset. As for the static interference, it's hard to say what the source is from but it only occurs (at least for me) in high volume settings. Either get a shielded aux cable or use a portable amp, which is what I've been doing. If you do return it, keep us updated, I'm curious if if the static is "normal" or a defect.

Samsung's music app can be downloaded from "Galaxy Apps"

My husband and I got an s7 edge as well and we hear the same static noise when it's plugged into the aux cable. I've been thinking about taking it to my att store to see if they can help.

Static noise fix!!!
First you want to open up settings and go into sound and vibrations then you want to scroll down to swap sound quality and effects when you have an aux cable plugged in go ahead and switch the HQ upscaler from off to on and that is your solution to fixing static noises with the galaxy s7 and the galaxy S 7 edge. Everyone's welcome

I'm having the static issue as well. As soon as I touch the headphone jack (on the cord) the static is noticeable. The volume also changes.. Tried 3 different headphones, all the same.
Does this happen to anyone else?

Static issue is gone. However using the audio cable plugged into the auxiliary port in my car the audio sounds as if I'm listening through the speaker on the bottom of the phone but it's coming through the car speakers. I've tried every different setting in sounds and equalizer setting and nothing works. Looks like I may be sending 4 phones back and going with the G5

I am also having issues with the Galaxy S7, static noise from internal speaker and headphones. When you restart the phone it goes away and sounds crystal clear. I am not sure what could be causing this to randomly start, and why doesn't it happen constantly and it goes away when restarting the phone? The Samsung tech support agent said maybe an app I have on my phone is causing it. It happens with YouTube and samsung milk music, I'm not sure why only sometimes. Also it's weird that it happens in both samsung headphones and the internal phone speaker, even at low volumes.

Stock music player is not gone. Its in sam market. Taken away to make the software as bloatwarefree as possible. Blutooth through car speaker also works fine here.
Sent from my SM-G935F using XDA Free mobile app

Just curious if anyone has tried to use an auxiliary cable and plug it into the auxiliary port on their car stereo? How is your audio coming through?

IVIatthew said:
I am also having issues with the Galaxy S7, static noise from internal speaker and headphones. When you restart the phone it goes away and sounds crystal clear. I am not sure what could be causing this to randomly start, and why doesn't it happen constantly and it goes away when restarting the phone? The Samsung tech support agent said maybe an app I have on my phone is causing it. It happens with YouTube and samsung milk music, I'm not sure why only sometimes. Also it's weird that it happens in both samsung headphones and the internal phone speaker, even at low volumes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine is having exactly the same issues as yours! The only way to avoid such noise is to use the BLUETOOTH speakers/headphones. What can we do now? Ask samsung to give us a new s7edge to try? Is S7e all like this?

I have a lot of static through car speakers with auxiliary cord

I've now tested 4 different headphones, 3 of them give static at the lightest touch to the headphone jack, 1 works perfectly fine.
I've never had this issue with any phone before and I have no idea what's causing it. UHQ setting doesn't make any difference.. Is it the IP68 rubber inside that's causing it?

I haven't got any of these audio issues, but allow me to list the devices I use:
BT to Mazda 6. No issues.
BT to Sony SBH-80 headphones. No issues.
BT to LG 'sound base' LAP250H. No issues.
Wired to Sennheiser sports headphones. No issues.
What I would say with aux cables, is that the quality of the cable can be the problem. If you've bought a very cheap cable off eBay then you might want to try a better quality cable - see if you're lucky enough to test one from an audio shop but DON'T let them talk you into buying some stupid £20/$20 3.5mm jack.
For bluetooth the phone will need to recognise the device as being able to play audio. There's two bluetooth outputs detected by my Mazda; I can either have the car take audio only, phone only or audio+phone. Now obviously a bluetooth speaker should default to taking audio, but I wonder if the speaker itself is at fault?

jr64007 said:
I have a lot of static through car speakers with auxiliary cord
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've tried both of our Galaxy S7 Edge and S7's and different types of audio cables and with every one of them there is a problem with poor volume level where I can max the volume on both the car stereo and the phone and there's no bass. I've even taken them to Best buy and tried them on aftermarket radios and produce the same results. The samsung rep gave me the 800 number to Samsung.
I want to know if it's a hardware or software issue.

Static from aux cable... (Fix)!

I noticed a constant hiss or static sound coming from my car speakers whenever there was silence during music playback from my phone when connect through the aux cable. I thought it was a hardware problem. Lucky for me it wasn't and I didn't have to exchange my phone or cough up any money. Easy fix was, I went into settings under sounds and vibrations and went to sound quality and effects and turned on the uhq upscaler and the static was gone. I worked and sound is much better! If the option is grayed out, insert the plug into the headphone jack. Hope it works for you!

jayb222 said:
I noticed a constant hiss or static sound coming from my car speakers whenever there was silence during music playback from my phone when connect through the aux cable. I thought it was a hardware problem. Lucky for me it wasn't and I didn't have to exchange my phone or cough up any money. Easy fix was, I went into settings under sounds and vibrations and went to sound quality and effects and turned on the uhq upscaler and the static was gone. I worked and sound is much better! If the option is grayed out, insert the plug into the headphone jack. Hope it works for you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know I love to you right!!!!!... I thought I messed up my phone by doing water tests... Lmao....this worked instantly.....thank you!!

Solution Partially works
I've owned 2 Samsung Galaxy s7s and the UHQ toggle works but I still get a hiss when I'm in an application and there is no sound playing. For example, when I have the GPS on, I hear the hiss until the navigation starts talking. This is the same situation with podcasts and spotify. It's annoying but is it just me? I'm ready to downgrade to the S6

If you are using it for AUX in, you can eliminate the hum from ground loops by adding a Y adapter, and a set of headphones to the mix of your aux in, it will cancel the ground loop in the headphones and will be crystal clear for you.

d33dvb said:
If you are using it for AUX in, you can eliminate the hum from ground loops by adding a Y adapter, and a set of headphones to the mix of your aux in, it will cancel the ground loop in the headphones and will be crystal clear for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? This works?

kcb2627 said:
Really? This works?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'd probably be better off with a ground loop isolator. Less clunky.
https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Ground-...75153270&sr=8-1&keywords=ground+loop+isolator

Line out audio hiss/bad headphones fine.

So first day with the phone and I get in the car to listen to music and there's a hiss and just weird noises. I'm like awe crap, I've got a bad one. I pull out some headphones and there's no hiss.
I restart the phone and plug it back into the car and still a hiss, retest headphones, they are fine.
Is it bad or is everyone getting this. My note 5 is fine on both with the same test.
It's worse when charging, but my other phone [Note 5] is dead silent. When charging it's extremely bad, like an fm station losing signal.
Also posted this on redit and others are having the same result.

Try different auxiliary cable to further you hypothesis. But haven't noticed this. Will test in the am.
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

I originally had this in the verizon Q&A.
I noticed a constant hiss or static sound coming from my car speakers whenever there was silence during music playback from my phone when connect through the aux cable. I thought it was a hardware problem. Lucky for me it wasn't and I didn't have to exchange my phone or cough up any money. Easy fix was, I went into settings under sounds and vibrations and went to sound quality and effects and turned on the uhq upscaler and the static was gone. I worked and sound is much better! If the option is grayed out, insert the plug into the headphone jack. Let me knowif it works for you!

jayb222 said:
I originally had this in the verizon Q&A.
I noticed a constant hiss or static sound coming from my car speakers whenever there was silence during music playback from my phone when connect through the aux cable. I thought it was a hardware problem. Lucky for me it wasn't and I didn't have to exchange my phone or cough up any money. Easy fix was, I went into settings under sounds and vibrations and went to sound quality and effects and turned on the uhq upscaler and the static was gone. I worked and sound is much better! If the option is grayed out, insert the plug into the headphone jack. Let me knowif it works for you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll be trying that first thing when I leave for work

I am an Android newbie who ran into this problem earlier today as well. I switched the upscale feature on and the problem still persists. To note I was listening to a song via YouTube.

Mattressguy said:
I am an Android newbie who ran into this problem earlier today as well. I switched the upscale feature on and the problem still persists. To note I was listening to a song via YouTube.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try toggling off and on again the uhq button
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

GermanGuy said:
Try toggling off and on again the uhq button
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will do thanks

GermanGuy said:
Try toggling off and on again the uhq button
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Toggled off and back on. The hiss or Humm is gone but the audio quality is the same as the speaker on the phone itself. I played with each equalizer setting to get it to sound normal to no avail. Guess I'm going to walk into a store tomorrow with audio cable in my hand and try display device and my device and see if there is a difference

THANK YOU!!!
Wife took my aux cable out of the motor home. I got it back to use my new S7 for the first time and HORRIBLE static. Proceed to blame wife for breaking the cable. Buy a new cable ... still hisses (uh oh, perhaps I should not have been so quick to blame the wife). Try on my home stereo, no hiss. Try in my trucks aux jack with same cable, no hiss. Try the same cable in RV, terrible hiss.
Interestingly, I found that if i had the volume on the phone down around 1/3 there was no hiss, but with the stereo all the way up the music was too quiet. But, 1 click on the phone volume up button, terrible hiss. One click back down, hiss goes away. When I first had the problem a few days ago, the hissing would actually vary with the beat of the music ... so weird.
Anyway, just went out to the RV, plugged in my phone, playing the music with terrible hiss. Flip the UHQ toggle and miraculously the hiss is gone!!!
So happy to find this easy solution. No idea what Samsung did to screw this up in the first place.